You just can’t say no to your dog. Look at their cute face and how sweet they look when they tilts their head ever-so-slightly, licking their lips in gleeful anticipation of every bite of food you take.
It’s hard not to say no to a begging dog!
However, sometimes you have no choice to say no to ensure your dog’s safety. Some foods are simply not safe for dogs to eat. Knowing which foods to avoid giving your dog will help ensure your dog doesn’t ingest something that’s too dangerous.
Foods You Should NEVER Give Your Dog.
Chocolate. Chocoholics can attest to the allure of chocolate. Medical professionals even assert that dark chocolate is good for the heart. Chocolate of any kind is not good for your dog, but the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is for your dog. Dark chocolate poses the highest risk while white chocolate is relatively low in toxicity. However, your best bet is to keep your dog from any chocolate or else you risk him suffering from abdominal pain, seizures and, in the worst case scenario, death.
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Grapes. A dog will happily gobble up grapes tossed across the floor. But, vets have linked kidney failure in some dogs to eating grapes and/or raisins. Other dogs do just fine eating grapes, so you’re better off not gambling on your dog’s health. The kidney failure resulting from eating grapes may include such symptoms as vomiting, lethargy, and eventually death. If you notice your dog has become lethargic, has begun vomiting or has diarrhea, get him to your vet immediately. Quick veterinary intervention could save your dog.
Onions. Keep your dog away from the kitchen when you are cooking with onions, especially if he likes to swipe ingredients, and avoid giving him food with onions in it. Otherwise, you risk him suffering from poisoning.
Garlic. While garlic is a popular cooking ingredient, it is extremely harmful to dogs. The ingestion of both onions and garlic cause a reaction of the red blood cells. However, your dog may not exhibit symptoms for as many as five days later. If you notice your dog is weak or more tired than usual, seek veterinary assistance immediately.
You should also avoid giving your dog avocado, bread dough (with live yeast), apple seeds, alcohol, salt, walnuts and macadamia nuts, and any foods that show any signs of mold.
If you’re unsure if a food is safe for your dog, contact your vet. It is always to rule on the side of caution and not feed your dog a particular food, especially if you are not sure if it is safe, than to risk the side effects of exposing her to a dangerous food.
